Arduino facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Arduino

Arduino Uno SMD R3
Developer	arduino.cc
Manufacturer	Arduino
Type	Single-board microcontroller
Operating system	None (default) / Xinu
CPU	Atmel AVR (8-bit) ARM Cortex-M0+ (32-bit) ARM Cortex-M3 (32-bit) Intel Quark (x86) (32-bit)
Memory	SRAM
Storage	Flash, EEPROM

Arduino is an Italian company that makes special computer boards. These boards are called single-board microcontrollers. They also make software and have a big community of users. Arduino helps people build their own digital devices.

The hardware designs for Arduino boards are open-source. This means anyone can use them to make their own boards. The software is also open-source, so people can use and share it freely. You can buy official Arduino boards online or from stores.

Arduino boards use different types of small computer chips. They have special pins to connect to other parts, like sensors or screens. These pins are called input/output (I/O) pins. You can add expansion boards, called 'shields', to do more things.

You can program Arduino boards using computer languages like C and C++. There's a special programming language for Arduino, too. It's like a simpler version of C++. Arduino also provides a special program called an integrated development environment (IDE). This helps you write and upload your programs easily.

The Arduino project started in Italy in 2005. It was made for students to have a cheap and easy way to create devices. These devices could interact with the world using sensors and other parts. Simple robots, thermostats, and motion detectors are common projects for beginners.

The name Arduino comes from a bar in Italy. The project's founders used to meet there. The bar was named after Arduin of Ivrea, an old King of Italy.

How Arduino Started

The Beginning

The Arduino project began at a design school in Italy. Back then, students used a different microcontroller that cost about $50. In 2004, a student named Hernando Barragán created a platform called Wiring. This was a simpler, cheaper way to make digital projects.

In 2005, some people from the school, including Massimo Banzi, improved on the Wiring project. They made it work with a cheaper computer chip. They called this new project Arduino.

The first Arduino team included Massimo Banzi, David Cuartielles, Tom Igoe, Gianluca Martino, and David Mellis.

Over time, lighter and cheaper versions of Arduino boards became available. By 2013, about 700,000 official Arduino boards were being used by people around the world.

A Company Disagreement

In 2008, the five founders created a company called Arduino LLC. This company was meant to manage the Arduino brand. Other companies would make and sell the boards, and Arduino LLC would get a small fee.

Later, one of the founders, Gianluca Martino, registered the Arduino name in Italy for his own company. This caused a disagreement among the founders. For a while, there were two main Arduino groups.

In 2015, Arduino LLC created a new brand name, Genuino. This was used for boards sold outside the United States.

In 2016, the two groups announced they would join together. They formed a new company called Arduino AG. This helped bring the Arduino community back together.

By 2017, the original founders bought back all the Arduino trademarks. A new CEO, Fabio Violante, took over. The Genuino name was no longer needed, and all products went back to being called Arduino.

Arduino Today

In 2017, Arduino announced a partnership with Arm Holdings (ARM). This helped Arduino continue to grow and create new designs.

In 2018, Arduino released a new tool called `arduino-cli`. This lets people program boards using text commands.

In 2019, Arduino launched its IoT Cloud service. This helps users connect their Arduino projects to the internet.

By 2020, the Arduino community had about 30 million active users. This shows how popular Arduino has become!

Arduino Hardware

Arduino-compatible R3 Uno board with no Arduino logo

Arduino hardware designs are open-source. This means anyone can see how they are made. You can find the designs on the Arduino website.

The developers want the name Arduino to be used only for official products. But because it's open-source, many similar boards exist. These often have names ending in -duino.

An early Arduino board with an RS-232 serial interface (upper left) and an Atmel ATmega8 microcontroller chip (black, lower right); the 14 digital I/O pins are at the top, the 6 analog input pins at the lower right, and the power connector at the lower left.

Most Arduino boards use an 8-bit Atmel AVR microcontroller. Some newer ones use 32-bit chips. The boards have pins that let you connect them to other circuits. You can also add shields to expand what the board can do.

Arduino microcontrollers come with a special program called a bootloader. This makes it easy to upload your programs to the board. Newer Arduino boards connect to your computer using a Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable.

An official Arduino Uno R2 with descriptions of the I/O locations

Arduino boards have many I/O pins. For example, the Uno board has 14 digital I/O pins. Six of these can create special signals called pulse-width modulated (PWM) signals. It also has six analog input pins. These pins are at the top of the board.

Many boards that work like Arduino exist. Some are exactly the same and can be used interchangeably. Others add features, like motor controls for robots. Some use different computer chips.

Official Arduino Boards

The first official Arduino hardware was made by Smart Projects in Italy. Other companies like SparkFun Electronics and Adafruit Industries have also designed official boards. As of 2016, 17 different versions of Arduino hardware have been made.

• 

  Arduino RS232
  (male pins)

• 

  Arduino Diecimila

• 

  Arduino Duemilanove
  (rev 2009b)

• 

  Arduino Uno R2

• 

  Arduino Uno SMD R3

• 

  Arduino Leonardo

• 

  Arduino micro (ATmega32U4)

• 

  Arduino pro micro (ATmega32U4)

• 

  Arduino Pro
  (No USB)

• 

  Arduino Mega

• 

  Arduino Nano
  (DIP-30 footprint)

• 

  Arduino LilyPad 00
  (rev 2007) (No USB)

• 

  Arduino Robot

• 

  Arduino Esplora

• 

  Arduino Ethernet
  (AVR + W5100)

• 

  Arduino Yún
  (AVR + AR9331)

• 

  Arduino Due
  (ARM Cortex-M3 core)

• 

  Arduino GIGA R1 WiFi (Dual core ARM Cortex-M7 + ARM Cortex-M4 cores + Murata 1DX)

What are Arduino Shields?

Arduino boards use special expansion boards called shields. These shields plug into the pins on the Arduino board. Shields can add many functions, like controlling motors for 3D printing. They can also add GNSS (GPS), Ethernet, or liquid crystal display (LCD) screens. You can even make some shields yourself!

• 

  Some shields can be stacked on top of an Arduino board. Here, a prototyping shield is on two Adafruit motor shield V2s.

• 

  A shield that lets you connect bare wires to the board easily.

• 

  An Adafruit Datalogging Shield with a memory card slot and a clock chip.

• 

  An Adafruit Motor Shield with connections for motors.

• 

  The Adafruit Motor Shield V2 uses fewer pins to control many motors.

• 

  A USB host shield lets an Arduino board talk to USB devices like a keyboard.

Arduino Software

You can write programs for Arduino hardware using many computer languages. Atmel provides tools for their chips.

The Arduino IDE (Older Version)

Arduino Legacy IDE

Screenshot of Arduino IDE showing Blink program
Developer(s)	Arduino Software
Stable release	1.8.19 / 21 December 2021; 3 years ago (2021-12-21)
Written in	Java, C, C++
Operating system	Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux
Platform	IA-32, x86-64, ARM
Type	Integrated development environment
License	LGPL or GPL license

The Arduino integrated development environment (IDE) is a program for your computer. It works on Microsoft Windows, macOS, and Linux. The IDE helps you write, edit, and upload programs to your Arduino board. It has features like text editing, searching, and color-coding for code. You can compile and upload programs with just one click.

The Arduino IDE uses C and C++ languages. It also includes a special library of code. This library makes it easy to do common tasks like controlling pins. Your program needs two main parts: `setup()` and `loop()`. The `setup()` part runs once when the board starts. The `loop()` part runs over and over again.

The IDE uses a tool called `avrdude` to put your program onto the Arduino board. While it was first made for Atmel chips, the Arduino IDE can now program many other types of microcontrollers.

The Arduino IDE 2.0 (Newer Version)

A new version of the Arduino IDE, called IDE 2.0, was released in 2022. It offers a more modern and professional look. It also has helpful features like auto-completion, which suggests code as you type.

Some new features of IDE 2.0 include:

• A modern look and feel.
• Better ways to manage boards and libraries.
• A list of connected boards.
• Basic auto-completion for faster coding.
• A serial monitor to see messages from your board.
• A dark mode for easier viewing.

What is an Arduino Sketch?

A sketch is the name for a program written using the Arduino IDE. Sketches are saved as text files with the ending .ino. Older versions used the ending .pde.

Every basic Arduino program needs two main functions:

• setup(): This function runs only once when your Arduino board turns on or resets. You use it to set up pins, variables, and other things your program needs.
• loop(): After `setup()` finishes, the `loop()` function runs again and again. It keeps running as long as the board has power. This is where your main program code goes.

Blink Example

Power LED (red) and User LED (green) attached to pin 13 on an Arduino-compatible board

Most Arduino boards have a small light-emitting diode (LED) built-in. This LED is connected to pin 13. A common first program for beginners is "blink." This program makes the built-in LED turn on and off repeatedly. It's like the "Hello, World!" program for Arduino. This program often comes pre-loaded on new Arduino boards.

const int LED_PIN = 13;             // Pin number attached to LED.

void setup() {
    pinMode(LED_PIN, OUTPUT);       // Configure pin 13 to be a digital output.
}

void loop() {
    digitalWrite(LED_PIN, HIGH);    // Turn on the LED.
    delay(1000);                    // Wait 1 second (1000 milliseconds).
    digitalWrite(LED_PIN, LOW);     // Turn off the LED.
    delay(1000);                    // Wait 1 second.
}

Arduino Libraries

Because Arduino is open-source, many people have created free software libraries. These libraries are collections of code that other developers can use. They help make projects easier by providing ready-made functions.

Operating Systems and Multitasking

There are special versions of operating systems that can run on Arduino boards. For example, a version of the Xinu OS works on some Arduino chips. This allows for more complex tasks.

There are also tools like Protothreads and FreeRTOS. These help Arduino boards do several things at once. This is called multitasking or threading.

What Can You Build with Arduino?

Arduino is used in many cool projects, such as:

• Arduboy: A small handheld game console.
• Arduinome: A device that controls music.
• Ardupilot: Software and hardware for drones.
• ArduSat: A small satellite based on Arduino.
• C-STEM Studio: A platform for learning about computers, science, and robotics.
• Data loggers for science experiments.
• OBDuino: A computer for cars that uses their built-in data system.
• OpenEVSE: An open-source charger for electric cars.
• XOD: A visual way to program Arduino boards.

Arduino Simulators

You can also try out Arduino projects without having a physical board. Simulators let you test your code on a computer.

• Tinkercad: A free online tool that lets you design 3D models and simulate Arduino circuits.
• Wokwi: A free online simulator for Arduino boards.

Awards and Recognitions

The Arduino project has received several awards:

• In 2006, it got an honorable mention at the Prix Ars Electronica. This was for its work in digital communities.
• The Arduino Engineering Kit won a Bett Award in 2020. This award was for digital services in higher education.

See Also

In Spanish: Arduino para niños

• List of Arduino boards and compatible systems
• List of open-source hardware projects
• PlatformIO [de; ca; zh]